Page 78 of How to Prevent a Fumble

“Oh yeah? Your little crush on Joshua doesn’t count,” I laugh, and her cheeks turn bright red.

“Oh? Who’s Joshua?” Heidi asks, sitting up to look at Elara on the other side of the couch.

“Oh yeah?” Elara sasses me right back, sitting up again. “How about you and Leo, mom?”

Heat creeps up the back of my neck as Isla snickers. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I mutter.

“I like him,” Elara says. “And I think you should date him.”

If you only knew,I think. Since she’s so young, I haven’t tried to explain the complexities of what Leo and I are doing to her. We’ve just let it be, riding it until she ends up asking us. So far, so good.

“We’re not having this conversation,” I tell her simply.

“Well I heard you werevery much in lovewith my brother today,” Isla states, a smirk at her lips.

I freeze. “Where in the world did you hear that?”

“An article online.”

Of course. I roll my eyes, pursing my lips. I knew that we were going to be written about, but we just started this whole thing. They move fast, apparently.

“Wonderful,” I mutter after a moment, shoving food into my mouth.

Heidi clicks her tongue. “Honestly Briar, no one would fault you. That man is hot.”

Isla elbows her in the stomach, and she erupts into a fit of giggles, clutching her side. “I’m telling the truth! You’ve known I think he’s hot since elementary school. Doesn’t mean I also don’t think he’s stupid.”

“He has yet to prove to me that he’s worth Briar’s time, but I’m also skeptical of everyone,” Zara says, watching the two of them. I meet her eyes, grateful. She’s always watched out for me, and she’s one of the very few who really know what I went through with my ex. Without her, I’d have nothing.

“I think he’s a good guy,” I tell her, tapping her knee. “He just needs a little getting used to. He’s not really easy to understand.”

“That he is not,” Isla mutters, smiling at Heidi.

Wanting to cut the conversation off, I look at the two girls next to me. “Where’s Amara and Mila?”

Isla winces. “Well, Mila is on a date, and Amara had a big gig tonight. They said they wanted to come over another time for sure though. Check out your new home and all.”

I smile. “I’d hardly call it my new home. We still have our place. It’s just easier to stay here. Plus, haven’t they already been here?”

“Not since Leo got plants,” Isla chuckles, her eyes moving toward Champ on the end of the couch. “Or a dog. Which, by the way, nice,” she gives me a high-five.

“Elara demanded it. I’m usually not one to just give her what she wants, but those eyes! God, how could I say no to those puppy eyes?” Champ licks her paw, watching us talk about her.

The five of us talk for a little longer, Elara falling asleep next to me before we go our separate ways. Isla and Heidi crash at her place, and Zara takes the guest room here. We’reall going to the game tomorrow, and can’t wait to all get ready together.

And when it’s just us, I tuck Elara into bed before heading to mine, passing out the second my head hits the pillow.

“You girls ready?” Isla calls from down the hall, the heels of her boots clicking as she walks around her brother’s apartment.

“Almost!” I call. It’s been a long time since I’ve really dressed up to go to games, but I was informed by all of the girls that these are really big events, and according to Isla, who will be going down to the field before the game with me and Elara, looking good is a must.

Especially since there will be photos, and those photos are going to make their rounds around the internet. Something that surely did not calm my nerves.

Although I thought I knew what I was going to wear last night, I decided the second I put it on this morning that the jeans were touching me all wrong, and that the feel of them against my skin was going to make me scream halfway through the game. It’s still hot here, so I decided to take full advantage of that fact and wear something cute. A cute denim skirt, my Crosby jersey, a pair of flat black knee-high boots, and the Warner purse Leo gave me.

Elara is dressed like my twin, in jeans, her uncle’s jersey, a pair of white sneakers, and her own small mini Warner see-through bag.

We both braided our hair the same, and after I put on some makeup, Elara asked to do the same. I told her no, to which she pouted for nearly two hours.

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